September 10, 2008

we decided to create our posters based on facts such as the Quran and Hadith ( sayings of the prophet)

Islam Promotes Violence

Islam does not allow or sanctify the killing any innocent person regardless of his or her religion. According to the Qur’an and Hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) life is sacrosanct.

We read in the Qur’an: “. . . Do not take life, which Allah has made sacred, except through justice and the law. He orders this so that you may acquire wisdom” (6:151) and, “Do not take life, which Allah has made sacred, except for a just cause. If anyone is killed unjustly, We allow his heir (to seek justice) but do not allow him to exceed bounds when it comes to taking life, for he is helped (by the law)” (17:33). According to the Qur’an, killing a person unjustly is the same as killing all of humanity, and saving a person is the same as saving all humanity. (See 5:32.)

The Qur’an sums it up by saying:

‘Anyone who has killed another person it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind and anyone who saves one life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind.‘(Chapter 5, verse 32)

women are oppressed

A Muslim woman wears hijab for the simple reason that God has commanded it in the Quran and Sunna. As Muslims we make the testimony “Muhammad is the messenger of God”. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would not be a messenger if he did not come with a message, and his message is the Quran. Therefore, we are really saying “The Quran is the message of God”. Our faith in God motivates us to obey God’s message and that is why we follow what God has commanded in the Quran.

The Quran also tells us to obey the Prophet Muhammad (Surah an-Nisa verse 59), to take what he allows and refrain from what he prohibits (Surah al-Hashr verse 7), to follow his judgments (Surah an-Nisa verse 65), and to abide by his decisions (Surah al-Ahzab verse 36). It also tells us that some of its verses are ambiguous in meaning (Surah Ali Imran verse 7), and that the Prophet Muhammad will explain the meaning of the revelation (Surah an-Nahl verse 44). All of this is the domain of the Sunna. The Sunna records what the Prophet Muhammad said, did, and silently allowed. It shows us how he put the Quran into action. It tells us what he commanded, allowed, prohibited, judged, and decided. And it informs us how he explained the Quran. The Sunna is an important and necessary source of Islamic law.

So what do the Quran and Sunna have to say about women’s dress? There are two verses that deal with this question. They are Surah an-Nur verse 31 and Surah al-Ahzab verse 59.

Surah an-Nur verse 31 reads:

And say to the faithful women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms, and not to display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule (slaves), or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent, and not to strike their feet (on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments. And turn in repentance to God together, O you the faithful, in order that you are successful.

Surah al-Ahzab verse 59 reads:

O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the faithful to draw their outergarments (jilbabs) close around them; that is better that they will be recognized and not annoyed. And God is ever Forgiving, Gentle.

These verses contain a total of seven commands for women. Three are related to behavior, which are:

* “to lower their gazes”
* “to guard their private parts”
* “not to strike their feet (on the ground) so as to make known of what they hide of their adornments”

O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed…” (Qur’an 33:59)

Tell the faithful women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their scarf to cover their bosom
Koran, 24:31

Muslims do not believe in Jesus

Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace be upon him). They consider him one of the greatest of God’s messengers to mankind. The Quran confirms his virgin birth, and a chapter of the Quran is entitled ‘Maryam’ (Mary). The Quran describes the birth of Jesus as follows:

(Remember) when the angels said, “O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him (God), whose name is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, revered in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (to God). He will speak to the people from his cradle and as a man, and he is of the righteous.” She said, “My Lord, how can I have a child when no mortal has touched me?” He said, “So (it will be). God creates what He wills. If He decrees a thing, He says to it only, ‘Be!’ and it is.” (Quran, 3:45-47)

Jesus was born miraculously by the command of God, the same command that had brought Adam into being with neither a father nor a mother. God has said:

The case of Jesus with God is like the case of Adam. He created him from dust, and then He said to him, “Be!” and he came into being. (Quran, 3:59)

During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. God tells us that Jesus said:

“I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I make for you the shape of a bird out of clay, I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s permission. I heal the blind from birth and the leper. And I bring the dead to life by God’s permission. And I tell you what you eat and what you store in your houses….” (Quran, 3:49)

Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified. It was the plan of Jesus’ enemies to crucify him, but God saved him and raised him up to Him. And the likeness of Jesus was put over another man. Jesus’ enemies took this man and crucified him, thinking that he was Jesus. God has said:

…They said, “We killed the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of God.” They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but the likeness of him was put on another man (and they killed that man)… (Quran, 4:157)

Are all Muslims arabs?

Although Islam is often associated with the Arab world and the Middle East, fewer than 15% of Muslims are Arab.
Distribution of Muslims
Africa 308,660,000 27.4%
Asia 778,362,000 69.1%
Europe 32,032,000 2.8%
Latin America 1,356,000 0.1%
North America 5,530,000 0.5%
Oceania 385,000 0.0%
World 1,126,325,000 100%

July 10, 2008

July 10, 2008

July 10, 2008

Day1

It was the first day that Zayed University and MICA students met, it was at Maryam’s (Me) Grandfathers house where we had presentations and Lunch, it was a family gathering. it also allowed the American students to see how the UAE’s culture is welcoming.

Day 2

As a group we all went to the Gold souq which was a disaster, studenst fell sick because of the hot weather, but it was an interesting experience for the MICA students as the saw how the old Dubai was. we started of at the gold souq walked to al Ahmadya school then took an Abra ride to the heritage village were it was to early and it was closed.

Day 3

We all met at Jumeira Mosque :

Then had lunch at Madinat Jumeira, we were invited by MICA

Lastly Nakheel where the gave a very inspiring presenattion about the company and its goals,

Day 4

Mai’s wedding

Day 5

Some of the girls went to Ski dubai

Day 6

Brain Storming

-we looked at art movements

-First things first

-United Nations

-RED campaign

MEDIA

Target Ignorant People who are not willing to understand cultures

Wanted to Do:

Packaging: to enlighten people with the explanation to help understand for example sheila, food, drinks

Clear packaging

Influenced by the truth campaign ( come up with a Myth and answer it by a solution)

Creating a space with shocking facts that would be placed in random spaces, so that people will stop and read them it will be like a viral campaign: buttons, shirts,stickers, posters

Name of the camapaign UNveil

Day 7

Myths

women are oppressed

Islam promotes violence

Created a face book group with questions so we know what are the misconceptions.

Day 8

started sketching on logos and trying to figure lay outs

Questions that would be used:

Are all Muslims Arabs?

Do Muslims Believe in Jesus?

Are women Oppressed and uneducated?

Terrorists?

Day 9

we decided to look at Kufik text for our logo as we wanted a touch of arabic heritage

Day 10

Finalized Myths

( Published on Blog)

Day 11

Started on my going to Mall of the Emirates where we had lunch at a morrocan restraunt, we were invited by MICA at Madinat Jumeira, al Muna restraunt

Day 12

Finally came up with a logo, drew some of graph paper and got a final Kufic logo, we all started working on different layouts as we had no time.

Day 13

Changed the lay out of the posters and the buttions went with simple typograhy as we wanted to reach the message out not the design.

July 10, 2008

Maryam AL Sayegh was born in Oregon, United States of America in 1987, she is also an Emarati citizen. At the age of 15 she discovered her passion for interior design. She took art seriously at school as she took both Art GCSE and AS level classes. In 2007 her Photography and paintings were exhibited in the XVA Gallery, Dubai, UAE. She is currently studying Interior design at Zayed University, Dubai, and is expected to graduate in June 2009. Her aim is to design a space with a combination of contemporary design with a touch of the UAE Heritage, as she believes it is important to have the identity re-used in an interesting way.

Alia Bin Fares was born in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 1985. At age of 12 she discovered her passion for photography, after five years she discovered her passion for graphic design, so when she graduated from high school she decided to study graphic design and take photography as an elective at Zayed University, Dubai, and is expected to graduate in 2010.

July 8, 2008

As a group we decided that the verses of Quran were too long to put on a poster, it also makes the poster seem very clustered, so we changed our designs and decided to put Myths and Facts but with out the verses.

We also changed our Logo in to Kufic

On Tuesday we changed our design again, we got rid of the Kufic as we found the UN logo more effective as it had more to it and it explained our concept